Sugar Ray Robinson

Born Walker Smith Jr. on May 3, 1921 in Ailey, Georgia, Sugar Ray Robinson rose from a modest farming background to become the most celebrated boxer of the twentieth‑century. After his parents separated, he moved with his mother to Harlem at age twelve, dropped out of DeWitt Clinton High School, and entered the amateur ranks under the borrowed name of Ray Robinson, a moniker that later earned the nickname "Sugar" from an impressed spectator. His amateur record is traditionally listed as an astonishing 85‑0 with 69 knockouts, highlighted by New York Golden Gloves championships at featherweight (1939) and lightweight (1940). Turning professional in October 1940, Robinson compiled a breathtaking unbeaten streak of 91 fights from 1943 to 1951, captured the world welter‑weight crown in 1946, and won the middle‑weight title five separate times, a record unmatched in boxing history. Known for a fluid, rhythm‑driven style, he combined lightning‑quick jabs, devastating left hooks, and an uncanny defensive footwork that allowed him to fight effectively at both inside and distance, earning him the modern definition of a pound‑for‑pound champion. Outside the ring Robinson cultivated a flamboyant lifestyle—a pink Cadillac, a personal entourage, and a nightclub that attracted stars such as Frank Sinatra—while also pursuing a brief career in entertainment as a singer, tap‑dancer, and actor on television and film. Financial difficulties plagued his later years; despite earning millions, he declared bankruptcy in the mid‑1960s and struggled with health issues, including Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes, before passing away on April 12, 1989, in Los Angeles. His legacy endures through countless accolades—International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee, Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year (twice), and the very term pound for pound coined to describe his unmatched skill—and his influence on later legends like Sugar Ray Leonard, who openly cite Robinson as the ultimate benchmark of boxing greatness.